Over the next few weeks, writers – from or based in the North West of England – can submit a 15-minute version or 15-minute extract from a full length play (80-90 mins). Sixteen will be selected by our team of readers to be part of the Festival.

Four more plays will be developed as part of our mentoring programme.

Mentored Writers

We are looking for four people from a disenfranchised, underserved or disadvantaged background, who have never written before, but who have a story they want to share. 

​APPLY AS A WRITER

​Selected participants will be mentored by established writers and guided on the writing of their 15-minute submission. Off Cut and 53two are particularly keen to platform important, unheard stories based on lived experiences, but all ideas will be considered.

These 20 brand new short plays from writers around the North West will be rehearsed by Manchester’s finest up-and-coming directors and actors, ready for performance. 

​They will be shown in four groups of five plays:

Group One – 31st July and 2nd August

Group Two – 1st August and 3rd August

Group Three -7th August and 9th August

Group Four – 8th August and 10th August

​The audience will then be asked to vote for their favourite plays. The play with the most votes from each group, along with the play with the highest percentage of runner-up votes across all four group will go through to be performed again at the final on Saturday 11th August. Here, a panel of industry professionals will be awarding prizes alongside the Audience Awards.

​All participants will be asked to take part on a voluntary basis and all proceeds from the event will go directly back into the 53two charity to help them continue their work supporting new talent, new ideas, new creatives and their outreach work across Greater Manchester and Manchester Hospital School.